Niltze decoder not working with Joveplayer

[patja]

I can't play any xvid encoded files in software decoder mode with Joveplayer. The Joveplayer developer says:

"The new xvid codec only output VIDEOINFOHEADER2 format (vs. VIDEOINFOHEADER). JovePlayer's reencoder cannot handle that. It can be fixed easily."

Does this ring true or does someone have some insight into what changed in Niltze's use of VIDEOINFOHEADER that might be causing this problem?

[sysKin]

Originally posted by patja
I can't play any xvid encoded files in software decoder mode with Joveplayer. The Joveplayer developer says:

"The new xvid codec only output VIDEOINFOHEADER2 format (vs. VIDEOINFOHEADER). JovePlayer's reencoder cannot handle that. It can be fixed easily."

Does this ring true or does someone have some insight into what changed in Niltze's use of VIDEOINFOHEADER that might be causing this problem? I was just waiting for this to happen. I changed VIDEOINFOHEADER into VIDEOINFOHEADER2 because it supports aspect ratio information, and I had this idea "I wonder when it turns out not compatible, win95 maybe? win98? let's wait and see".

Then again you're the first person who encountered this problem - maybe I could still ignore it? Adding another switch to decoder is indeed easy, but do we really need it? I've never heard of Joveplayer - and by the way it's just as easy for them to add VIDEOINFOHEADER2 support.

Any ideas?

[patja]

Joveplayer is an alternative front end to the Sigma Xcard. I get the sense it is quite popular. You can check it out at www.8dim.com

I use it as a general purpose front end in my home theater to play any avi's I've encoded as well as DVD's from the HTPC. I use it through the PDI connection of my Immersive Holo3dgraph-II and output at 720p to an LCD projector.

[patja]

Is there a compelling reason for not making the change to the xvid decoder? I'd really like to be able to use it with Joveplayer.

For the moment I am forgoing b frames so I can encode in a format that works with the xcard's hardware decoder, but I'd really like to go back to being able to unleash the full power of xvid.

[gotaserena]

Curious, I'm passing my RC1 encodes through joveplayer without any problems. (Hardware decoder, 2.4)

B-frames are OK, too, somehow the stuttering of the older versions is gone(.avi and .mp4). Q-pel and GMC are not OK. It is the same as usual.

[Koepi]

qpel and gmc can't be decoded by the sigma chip, that is a known limitation, it's not Advanced Simple Profile compliant. That's no xvid issue.

Regards
Koepi

[gotaserena]

True. I did mention it only to remind that if patja is using gmc or qpel then he will have to rely on the soft decoder.

I'd imagine that in this case he could make joveplayer work by switching decoders (xvid, ffdshow, 3ivx, divx). One of them ought to work. If he insists in using the xvid decoder then apparently Joveplayer devs might as well add suport to it...

[patja]

I'll give the sigma hardware decoder a shot with future encodes with b frames. I still have a bunch of b-frame avi's I encoded with Selam though that I'd like to be able to play

[sysKin]

A quick "compatibility" build that uses this older format can be downloaded from:

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~syskin/xvid.ax_compat.zip

I might make it an option in the future, will see.

Radek

[patja]

Thanks Syskin, it works great.

[patja]

@gotaserena:

I did some more testing last night and I still see stuttering using the XCard hardware decoder with B Frames encoded using Niltze.

I was just using the default B Frame settings (2 max consecutive, 1.5 quantizer ratio, 1.00 quantizer offset) plus I checked "closed GOV". Is this consistent with how you are encoding and getting clean hardware decoding?